Automatic water-feeder.



J. G. ENGELHART. AUTOMATIC WATER FEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, I9I5.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

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JOHN G. ENGELHART, F ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

AUTOMATIC WATER-FEEDER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that '1, JOHN G. ENGELHART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic VVater- Feeders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto boiler feeders,

and more especially to those which are antomatically operated by the fall of the water level; and among the objects of the invention is the production of a feeder of this character which will admit water into low pressure heating boilers or into the expansion tank of hot water-cheating plants.

, Other objects sought to be attained are simplicity of structure, accessibility of parts, provision against sticking or rusting, and avoidance of frictional contact between the float and lever and the casing inclosing them, which contact often interferes with the successful working of the feeder.

The following specification describes the preferred manner of constructing this machine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a. central vertical sectional view through the device. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional detail on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail of the lever, and Fig. i a perspective detail of the valve with its parts separated. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Thecasing of this feeder is by preference made of casting properly finished for the application of parts and pipes as hereinafter described; and it is formed at one end with an upright cylinder 1 containing a float chamber 2, a spider 3 across the lower end of this chamber, and a rounded lower end 1 closed except for a threaded opening 5; an elbow 7 integral with the upper end of the cylinder and contamlng a lever chamber 8 .and an upright partition '9; and beyond the latter a second upright cylinder 10 containing a strainer chamber 11, an upper end 12 closed except for a threaded opening 13, and a lower end 14 closed except for a threaded opening 15. With the top of the lever chamber ,8 and the outer side of the strainer chamber 11 left open, this casing can all be cast in one piece by means which need not be elabforated therein. Thereafter a cover 16 may Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

Application filed May 10, 1915. Serial No. 27,226.

be bolted as at 17 onto the casing so as to close the open top, and a plate 18 may be bolted or screwed as at 19 to the side of the cylinder 10 to close the opening therein, suitable gaskets being provided between these plates or covers and the walls around the openings which they are intended to cover. The entire casing now appears as best seen in Fig. 1, and a pipe F for feeding water is connected with the threaded opening 13 at the top of the strainer chamber, a pipe 1V is connected with the threaded opening 5 at the bottom of the cylinder 1 and led to a point beneath the water line in the boiler, and a pipe S is connected with and led from another threaded opening 20 which is formed through the wall of the cylinder 1 above the water line, to said boiler, which line is indicated at L. I may say at this point that after these pipe connections are made they need never be disturbed for the purpose of gaining access to this machine, as will be explained below.

If a strainer is to be employed, it will by preference be of tubular shape as indicated at 21, its upper end standing within a flange 22 surrounding and larger than the opening 13, and its lower end standing within a recess 23 in the upper end of a coupling 24 which is screwed into the threaded opening 15. This coupling may well carry a draw-01f cook 25 for the purpose of cleaning out the strainer when desired. If no strainer is needed, the coupling may be unscrewed from the opening 15, the strainer dropped out of place and the coupling and cock restored to position or replaced by a plug for, closing the opening 15. As shown by the drawings, water enters by the pipe F into the interior of the strainer 21. and passes radially outward through the latter into the strainer chamber 11. Obviously the plate 18 may be removed by loosening the bolts or screws 19, and access to the interior of this chamber, the exterior of the strainer when it stands therein, or the valve, is given to the operator.

The float 80 may be of any approved type and is loosely disposed within the float chamber 2. Its lower end by preference carries a'guide 31 of triangular cross-section and whose angles slide easily but closely through a round opening 32 at the center of the spider 8, thereby keeping the float centered along the axis of the chamber and preventing rattling or sticking of parts. fIo

an ear 33 rising from the float is pivoted at 34 one end of a lever 35 which stands about horizontal within the chamber 8, its remote end being integrally formed into a trans verse barrel 36 (see Figs. 2 and 3) which is of such length that it fits closely within the chamber 8 and between its side walls 8, and this barrel turns on a bolt 37 which passes through it and through said walls and receives acorn nuts 38 on its extremities. Also cast integral with the barrel is a pair of spaced depending forks 39.

Cast with the partition 9 is a boss 40 having a threaded opening through it, and in this opening is screwed a nipple 41 whose bore is cylindrical and is expanded a little at its inlet end into a valve seat 42. Against said seat rests the valve head 43 which is made of a composition capable of withstanding the ravishing effects of rust, scale, sand, and various temperatures and chemical properties in the water handled. Through the nipple is slidably mounted a valve spindle 44 which is preferably of triangular cross section with its angles neatly fitted to the bore thereof; and one end of this spindle is reduced and threaded at 45, passed through head 43 and through a washer 46 and nut 47, while the other end is connected with or enlarged integrally into a block 48 which is of a size to fit closely between the two forks 39, and a pin 49 I extending through this block fits closely between the arms of said forks.

The assembly of the parts of this valve shown in Fig. 1 is obvious,'and with the plates 16 and 18 and the strainer 21 removed it is quite easy. Tightening up the nut 47 forces the head 43 against a shoulder which exists between the triangular spindle 44 and the reduced screw 45, and the distance from this shoulder to the nearest end of the block 48 should be greater than the length of the nipple 41. Such tightening up of the nut 47 slightly distends the head 43 so that it is capable of closing tightly against the seat 42 when drawn to the left in Fig. 1. Ohviously the water line L will rise and fall as does the water in the boiler which is connected to this device by the pipes S and W. As it rises and the float rises, the leverrocking on the bolt 37serves only to draw the valve closer against its seat. But-as the water falls the float descends by its own weight and the lever rocks in the opposite direction, so that the arms of the forks 39 which are in engagement with the pin 49 will move the block, the spindle, and the valve so that the latter is unseated. Water then flows from the strainer chamber 11, through the bore of the nipple and over into the lever chamber 8, whence it finds its outlet down through the float chamber 2, opening 5, and water pipe IV into the boiler.

The length of the barrel 36 gives the lever a very firm bearing and prevents side play of its long arm 35, and as the latter is pivoted at 34 to an ear 33 rising rigidly from the float, such float is held out of contact with the inner wall of the cylinder 1. The three corners of the guide 31 set up very little friction within the opening 32, and therefore the float is extremely sensitive to the slightest rise or fall of the water. By removing the cover plate 16, immediate access to the lever chamber 8 is given to the operator, and if he then removes the bolt 37 he can lift out the entire float and lever without disarranging the float at all. Also it has been stated that by removing the plate 18 and the strainer he has immediate access to the valve. These plates can easily be removed because they are attached only to the casing, and yet the connection of the casing with the several pipes need not be disturbed. By carrying the strainer chamber 11 down below the bottom of the float chamber 8 the former serves as a settling chamber for any sediment which may get through the strainer, but even if this should occur the sediment can be removed by taking off the plate 18 from time to time. Attention is directed to the fact that the valve 43 closes against its seat 42 with the flow of water rather than against it, which detail tends to prevent leakage because it sets up considerable pressure acting against the valve to hold it closed. By preference I use a strainer whose bodyis made of brass tubing slotted longitudinally by suitable machinery, and the slots are purposely made quite narrow. I find that when the drawoff cock 25 is opened, the flow of water through this tubular strainer washes the dirt out of its interior and cleans vertical slots more thoroughly than it would if they stood horizontal. Attention is also directed to the fact that the comparatively large strainer chamber acts as a radiator to keep the water in this part of the apparatus comparatively cool and thus prevent deterioration of the composition valve.

WVhat I claim is:

1. In a water feeder, the combination with a casing comprising an upright cylinder containing a float chamber and having a lateral elbow at its upper end containing a lever chamber, its top being open and its remote end having a partition, and a chamber beyond said partition connected with the water inlet, the wall of the casing at the other end of the lever chamber having an opening for connection with the boiler above the water line of the latter, a spider within said cylinder having a central round opening, and the lower end of said cylinder being closed except for an opening adapted for connection with the boiler below the water level therein; of a float mounted one side open,

loosely within said cylinder, a triangular guide dependlng therefrom through the opening in saldspider, an ear rising from the float, a lever pivoted at one end to the ear and near its other end within the lever chamber, a nipple through said partition and having a valve seat, a valve whose spindle slides through the bore of the nipple and Whose head is adapted to close against said seat, a fork depending from the lever and connected with said spindle, and a cover plate removably closing the top of the lever chamber.

In a water feeder, the combination with a casing comprising an upright cylinder containing a float chamber and having a lateral elbow at its upper end containing a lever chamber, its top being open and its remote end having a partition, and an upright cylinder beyond said partition having plates removably closing said open side and open top, means for closing the lower end of the last named cylinder, means for feeding Water into its upper end, and means for connecting the upand lower portions of the first named per with the boiler to be fed, at points cylinder above and below the water line therein; of

a float within the first named cylinder, a nipple through said partition and having a valve seat at one end, a valve Whose stem {topics pt this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the is slidably mounted through the bore of the nipple and whose head is adapted to close against said seat, a lever pivoted within the lever chamber and connected at one end with the float, the lever having depending forks connected with said valve spindle, and a strainer mounted within said last named cylinder and into which the feed Water is admitted.

3. In a float valve structure, the combination with a casing having an upright float chamber and a horizontal lever chamber, a tubular nipple through one end of the latter and having a valve seat, a valve head adjacent said seat, a triangular valve spindle slidably mounted through the bore of the nipple and having a rectangular block standing within said lever chamber, and a transverse pin through said block; of a float, a float lever connected at one end thereto and having a transverse barrel at the other end pivoted within the lever chamher, and a pair of forks depending rigidly from said barrel astride the block and loosely engaging its pin.

In testimony whereof I aiflx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN G. ENGELHART,

Witnesses:

E. W. KLEIN, F. V. FRANCIS.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

